32 Aiden

Aiden knew something like this would happen the moment he stepped through the front door of the apartment and Reo's voice came through, "Welcome back. Haru just texted. He's staying at Jess's place tonight."

He's avoiding me, was the first thing that came to Aiden's mind. Of course, the boy would. He hadn't expected anything less, especially after what had happened last night.

Doing his best to hide his turmoil of emotions, he said, "I see."

Reo asked, "You okay?"

Aiden raised a brow. His voice firm, he said, "Why wouldn't I be?"

Reo looked at him for a moment. He was about to say something but then shrugged his broad shoulders. He asked instead, "Dinner?"

Aiden nodded, and Reo turned and went into the kitchen.

Aiden stood there for a moment, taking in a deep breath. Then he walked into his bedroom as he loosened his necktie. The moment he was inside, his eyes instantly strayed to the bed, and just like that, his heart skipped in his chest as waves of emotions washed over him.

Love. Joy. Uncertainty. Regret. Hurt. Fear. They all twisted like a raging inferno inside of him, making his head pound.

Images of Haru on that bed played clearly in his mind's eye: Haru's flushed face staring at him, him kissing Haru passionately, him sucking Haru off, him fucking Haru, and Haru groaning his name erotically.

Weak in the knees, Aiden came to sit on the side of the bed, his hand lightly touching the duvet. He picked up the pillow and hugged it tight in his arms as he buried his face against the softness of the material. He inhaled deeply, his chest quivering.

Haru's scent danced and caressed his nostrils, and Aiden felt his body aching for the boy.

Haru's scent. Fuck, he loved the boy's smell. It never ceased to please him.

What happened? Had he hurt Haru last night? Well, of course he had, the little voice at the back of his head snapped at him. He was fucking the boy, and so damned hard out, too. He had been too eager and greedy. But how the hell was he to rein himself in when the boy he loved had offered him such an opportunity? When it had been like a dream come true?

It'd be all right. Perhaps Haru just needed space, that was all. The boy would come home tomorrow and then everything would return to normal.

Normal. Did Aiden want that? Did he really want things back the way it had always been? Haru as his younger stepbrother? When they had already made love? Passionately.

Aiden raked his fingers through his hair in frustration. Fuck, but he felt like his heart was about to break any moment now.

A few knocks came at the door and Isaac's voice came through, "Aiden? Dinner."

His voice hoarse, he said, "Yeah. Be there in a moment."

"Okay."

Aiden took a few deep breaths and then headed out the door. A moment later, he entered the kitchen-dining room where it was noisy, as usual. The brothers—Noah, Reo, Mason, and Isaac—were sitting around the table, helping themselves to the food, which was left over from yesterday evening's feast.

Aiden headed over to the other side and poured himself a glass of wine. He desperately needed it. He downed the whole glass in one go. Then, because he was sure he wanted to be very drunk tonight, he took the whole bottle to the dining table.

Noah eyed him and said, "You intent on getting drunk on a Monday night?"

Aiden said, "I feel like I need it."

Isaac, always the blunt one, said, "Just because Haru isn't home?" He laughed. "You seriously can't function properly without Haru, can you, bro?"

Aiden shot Isaac a dark look, which freaked Isaac out so much that he shrieked. He leaned close to Noah and asked, "What's gotten into our bro?"

Noah said, "He's depressed because his beloved isn't home, naturally."

"Shut up, Noah," Aiden said as he helped himself to the food.

"So Haru isn't home tonight," Mason said. "That's too bad because I was going to give him the good news."

Aiden shift his gaze to Mason and asked, "What news?"

"My boss wants Haru to come into the bar tomorrow night for a trial. If Haru is good, then he'll give him the job."

Aiden gulped down another glass of wine in one go, his mind racing. Did he wanted Haru to work in that bar? When hot chicks, and not to mention gay men, were roaming freely and hunting for their next target, and he just knew Haru would be their next perfect target.

Isaac asked, "Aiden, are you okay? Please stop drinking. You tend to go a bit crazy when you're drunk."

Reo eyed Noah. Finally, Noah sighed, got up from his seat, and took the now half-filled bottle of wine away from Aiden.

"That's enough, Aiden. Haru would be upset if he sees you drinking like that again.